Public Hearing: Rezoning at 6600- 6800 France Ave. (Commons on France), Southdale Office Center

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This proposal was withdrawn by the applicant.

Comments

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This proposal was withdrawn by the applicant.

CLOSED: This will be on the City Council agenda January 20th. The final decision will be made at that time.

Kirsten Gullickson, South Cornelia resident, life-long Edina resident, constantly driving, biking, walking in the 6600-6800 proposed redevelopment area.

I am writing to the Edina Planning Commission and the Edina City Council to strongly oppose rezoning to Planned Unit Development (PUD), and oppose changes to city redevelopment planning codes to existing setbacks from streets, sidewalks and green parkways between sidewalks and buildings, and I oppose granting variances for building height, and to floor area ratios.

This redevelopment plan is squeezing far too many buildings onto the 6600 - 6800 site. The buildings are not only on top of one another, they are on top of the surrounding streets. The amount of traffic generated from these structures that pour onto France Ave. S. and Valley View Rd. will be staggering. France Ave. S. is already a nightmare (pre-pandemic). With the additional structures proposed for the W. 70th St. & France Ave. S. corner, the traffic will be stop-and-go throughout the entire day. The quality of life in an around France Ave. S. will plummet due to constant traffic. This entire area, and the businesses in the area, will become an area to avoid at all costs.

Edina and neighboring Richfield are not lacking for new high-density housing. There are enormous apartment/condo complexes surrounding Southdale and now another one is going up behind Target on Hazelton Rd. Edina is a primarily a single-family dwelling residential area, and that is one reason why people move to the area. No one wants to live in the shadow of an office complex that should have half as many buildings on it, and that should be smaller in size than the proposed plan for 6600-6800.

Office space is abundant in Edina, yet as we have learned, no one goes into the office during a pandemic. Even once it is deemed safe for workforces to return to office buildings, fully 50% of workers plan to remain working from home. Companies are planning for this, and are reducing their office footprints and moving to smaller spaces. Another pandemic is in the not-too-distant future epidemiologists say, so we should be planning buildings and living units with that at the forefront of our thinking.

Edina does not require more retail space. The retail space Edina residents prefer are 50th & France, Centennial Lakes, Galleria, Grandview, Wooddale Ave. & Valley View. Additionally, even after the pandemic is contained through vaccination distribution, people will continue to order a majority of goods online. Take-out food will not go away. In-store, brick & mortar should be small, personal, and easy in-and-out. That's the future, not high-rise apartment buildings overlooking parking lots and adjacent to a water treatment plant and three office buildings.

Edina needs additional green space and outdoor recreation space. Sidewalks should be everywhere on every street. Dog parks, pet-friendly dwellings, safe bike lanes are paramount.

It is a fallacy to think that high-density will have everyone selling their cars and hopping on scooters and bikes. We have winter six months of the year, so we drive five blocks to pick-up dinner, get groceries, get to basketball practice, pick-up a prescription. Most parents are not going to hop on their fat tire bikes, towing the kids on the back of the bikes with a grocery carrier attached to the kids. We will be in our cars, and the high-density apartment buildings make parking and traffic a nightmare. Edina does not want to transform into a corporate office center casting shadows over whole neighborhoods with lines of cars endlessly waiting to cross France Ave. S.. or navigate from 494 to W. 50th St.

Again, I strongly oppose granting rezoning to PUD for the 6600-6800 redevelopment project, and I oppose any change to existing Edina city codes regulating existing building setbacks from streets, sidewalks and greenways between buildings and sidewalks, and oppose changes to existing building height requirements and floor area ratios.

Do NOT reduce the square footage of planned apartments in order to cram more apartments/condos into these buildings simply so that the developers can maximize their profits, or so that the city can increase its tax revenue. That is unethical and unwarranted, particularly during a pandemic. People now realize that they require MORE living area, two separate work spaces ideally, and immediate access to outside so that they do not have to be in elevators with others. There will be another pandemic, so plan now for those living situations.

My last point is a question regarding the water treatment plant. There is some type of treatment facility in the South Cornelia area at the sector of W. 72nd and Oaklawn Ave. It emits a constant odor that is often nauseating. It would be critically important to ensure that the proposed water treatment plant at 6600-6800 does not emit any type of odor nor, obviously, toxic fumes. Clearly, I know nothing about the water treatment process, so this may not be a concern, but thought that I should mention this.

Sincerely,
Kirsten Gullickson

Kgully over 3 years ago

Other than providing the developers with more profit, I don't understand why the buildings shown on this plan have to be so high or add so much more additional housing. Three-to-four story apartment and condominium buildings seem to be on a scale that fits the area. The contrast between Southdale First Addition and this plan is quite striking. I didn't happen to see what kind of building materials will be used. I'm hoping it's a more traditional brick. I may make more comments as I take a deeper look at the plan. Paul Lawrence.

Paul Lawrence over 3 years ago